Friday, June 12, 2015

Discussing Game of Thrones: The Dance of Dragons

* Spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen “The Dance of Dragons.”

For Once Melisandre Isn't the Cause of a Fire

At Stannis's snowy camp, Melisandre is staring into the flames. She goes outside of her tent to find actual flames erupting everywhere, courtesy of Ramsay's twenty men. In the daylight, Davos briefs Stannis on the damage: food stores burned, siege weapons destroyed, horses lost. Needless to say, the attack is a gigantic blow to Stannis's campaign, which was already on very shaky ground because of the harsh weather. The army is still a long way from Winterfell, but also too far from the Wall to consider returning there. Plus, retreat is not an option for Stannis.

An Icy Reception

Jon returns to the Wall with the Wildlings who survived last week's wight/White Walker craziness at Hardhome in tow. After a stare down with Thorne, the gates are opened, much to Jon's visible relief. As the Wildlings file through the gates, Jon tells Sam the mission was a failure; Sam assures him otherwise. Jon spots Olly watching and gives him a little smile; Olly gives Jon a death glare. I neither like nor trust that kid. Sam scoots when Thorne approaches him and Jon. Ever the bearer of compliments, Thorne tells Jon that he has a good heart, but it'll get them all killed.

I Smell a Diversion

Stannis is sending Davos to Castle Black to demand food, supplies, and horses from Jon. When Stannis takes the Throne, he'll supply all the men the Night's Watch needs. Davos protests that as Hand of the King, he can't abandon said King, but Stannis commands him to go. Davos asks if Selyse or Shireen should go back to Castle Black with him for safety, but Stannis says his family stays with him. Before departing, Davos says goodbye to Shireen and presents her with a stag that he made for her.

Bronn Says Hello to the Floor

In Dorne, Jaime meets with Doran, Myrcella, Trystane, and Ellaria. Jaime tells them about the necklace that arrived in the viper's jaw. Myrcella says that the necklace had been stolen, which prompts Doran to give Ellaria a look. When Doran toasts King Tommen, Ellaria purposely spills the contents of her goblet on the floor. Myrcella is to return to King's Landing with Trystane, who will take Oberyn's place on the Small Council. Ellaria is outraged and storms out. Jaime asks about Bronn and takes responsibility for Bronn punching Trystane. Areo Hotah then escorts Bronn from his cell. Bronn is relieved to hear that he's being released, but not before Areo delivers a solid sock to Bronn's face as punishment for what Bronn did to Trystane.

Arya Switches Targets

In Braavos, Arya is peddling her seafood, preparing to take out the insurance scammer until she spots Meryn Trant. Mace Tyrell has arrived to negotiate with the Iron Bank and does nothing to keep a low profile. Arya follows Trant all around, and not too subtly for someone training to be a Faceless (Wo)Man. As if Trant, a member of the Kingsguard, isn't going to notice the same girl selling seafood popping up everywhere. At night, Trant and two soldiers go to a brothel, where Trant's disgusting preference for younger girls is revealed. Of course Arya has followed him and has seen everything. She goes back to the House of Black and White and tells Jaqen that the Thin Man, her original target, wasn't hungry today.

Ellaria Makes a Choice

Doran gives Ellaria an ultimatum: swear allegiance to him or die. With the Sand Snakes looking on, she kneels. He warns her that he doesn't believe in third chances. Ellaria then goes to see Jaime, who's trying to write with his left hand. I thought she was going to stab him or something, and I still think she's got some trouble planned for him before he leaves Dorne.

Why, Stannis? WHY?!!!

Stannis visits Shireen, and what follows is the worst father/daughter talk in the history of ever. He's trying to tell her that he's about to sacrifice her, something that's always been a possibility, but DAMN if it wasn't gut-wrenching to watch it actually play out in this episode. The poor girl asks how she can help her father. Seven hells. He asks her to forgive him. Next we see her being led to the stake, clutching the stag Davos gave her. Amid Shireen's horrible cries for her father and mother to save her, Selyse changes her mind and has to be restrained by guards. After the efforts made this season to make Stannis a somewhat more appealing character, they were all for naught because man do I f**king despise him now.

Let the Great Games Begin

In Meereen, it's the start of the Great Games. Daenerys is appalled by the fighting and gets an even more shocking surprise when Jorah shows up to fight in the second round. He gets knocked around pretty hard, what with only having one non-greyscale infected hand. He's facing the end of a sword at one point when another fighter takes out his opponent. So Jorah is one of the last two men standing. He wins and looks up in time to see one of the Sons of the Harpy behind Daenerys. Jorah hurls a spear that takes out the would-be assassin. But there are plenty more Sons; in fact, it's an ambush! There are Harpies EVERYWHERE. One kills Hizdahr as Jorah, Daario, and the Unsullied try to protect Daenerys, and Tyrion saves Missandei. But they're still outnumbered and end up surrounded when Drogon shows up! He torches the place as the Sons of the Harpy nail him with spears. Daenerys tries to remove some of them and climbs on his back. And off they fly, ditching Daario, Jorah, Missandei, and Tyrion.

In the Next Episode

It's the season finale! I've got some bad feelings about what's going to happen to some of the characters . . . .

5 comments:

  1. It was so intense when Jon and the Wildlings got back to the wall! I thought Thorne wasn't going to let them in and was going to kill them all.
    I keep getting confused with Arya's story line, like the episode before last where she's imagining selling seafood etc, how could she see what she saw before it happened? I just don't understand.
    I cried when Drogon showed up! That was also another intense moment.
    Man, is it really the series finale next? Nooo, that came around way too fast!

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    1. I didn't think Thorne was going to open the gates, either; even though he did, I don't think he's going to let this go quietly since he was so vehemently opposed to the plan. Arya's story line left me scratching my head last week because now it looks like she's going to take out Meryn Trant? There's been so much diversion from the books this season that I shouldn't have been surprised, lol.

      Drogon arriving to rescue his mother was epic! I thought it'd be saved for the season finale, so now I'm wondering how the last episode will top that!

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  2. I so need for Jon Snow to watch his back and keep Ghost close, because I fear the Night Watch are planning a bit of treachery for him. NOT MY JON!

    I swear you had the same thoughts as I did regarding Arya. I was like damn girl, you're not being very inconspicuous at all. She was very obvious and blatant with her spying and I fear Meryn Trant is biding his time. I think he absolutely recognized her and will be trying to grab her for his nasty Queen. As for lying to Jaquen, she should know better by now.

    As soon as he sent Davos off to the wall for that bogus ass reason, I knew it was all over for poor little Shireen. But I still can't get over it. That talk he had with her was disturbing. Stannis and Selyse ain't shit for letting Melisandre go through with burning their child and I hope they both BURN for that horrible shit.

    As for Queen Dany, She got on that dragon and flew up out of there LIKE A BOSS! I swear this is the scene I've been waiting for all season and it did not disappoint at all! Now I'm soooooooooo ready for the last episode. And they know this season should be longer!

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    1. I think I may need therapy after tonight's ep if it follows Jon's story arc from A Dance with Dragons. :/

      I was getting annoyed with Arya because seriously- she wasn't trying to be covert at all! And I'm also worried that Meryn Trant totally recognized her and is pretending he didn't. Maybe she'd better dig up Needle from outside the House of Black and White.

      I was afraid for Shireen before the episode even started when they showed the scene where Melisandre put the leeches on Gendry. That crazy bitch and her obsession with royal blood! Selyse may have had a change of heart at the last second, but I couldn't buy it because she's always been so horrible to her daughter. I can't even begin to comprehend Stannis's thinking; he's desperate to be king, but really!!! My heart broke when Davos said goodbye to Shireen.

      I kind of felt bad for everyone who got left behind when Daenerys and Drogon flew off, lol. There's so much that needs to be wrapped up tonight- I have no idea how it's all going to be crammed into an hour!

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  3. That scene was HUGE- a preview of events to come in Westeros, maybe? There was a lot of screaming at my house when Drogon flew in and started tearing the arena up, lol.

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